Floor-clamp



(No Model) J. W. MoQUAID. FLOOR GLAMB.

No. 474,180. Patented May 3,1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES ll. MCQUAID, OF OALLOl/VAY COUNTY, KENTUCKY.

FLOOR-CLAMP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 474,180, dated May 3, 1892.

Application filed June 25, 1891. Serial No. 397.479- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES lVzMOQUAID, a citizen of the United States, residing in the county of Galloway and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Floor-Clamp, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relatesto improvements in fioonclamps, the objects in view being to provide a cheap and simple device constructed to be adjusted to sleepers of various thick: nesses and to be readily clamped in position, whereby a series of boards maybe laid upon the sleepers close together for the purpose of nailing to .form a floor.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description, and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective of a sleeper, a series of planks, and the clamp constructed in accordance with my invention, securing the flooring in position. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a perspective in detail of the clamp.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

In constructing the clamp I employ an in-. verted-U-shaped clip 1, of metal, and perforate the opposite terminals, as at 3, in alignment with each other and adapted to receive a locking-pin 2. From the upper side of the clip there rises a clamping-hook 4, the same being provided with a front shoulder 5, said hook being rearwardly disposed and terminating in a hook 6, provided a short distance from its extremity with a gaging-shoulder 7. Above the gaging-shoulder 7, upon the outside of the hook, a driving-shoulder 8 is located.

In operation the clip is mounted upon the sleeper 9 and the adj listing-pin 2 passed through the perforations of the terminals of clip, whereby the clip loosely embraces said sleeper. The clamp is now slid along the sleeper until adjacent to the series of boards 10 and a block of wood 11, located against the front shoulder 5, after which a few taps of a mallet or'hammer upon the shoulder 8 serves to drive the point of the hook or dog into the sleeper the depth of the shoulder 7, which serves'to gage the depth of driving and prevents .the point from going too far. A wedge 12 isnow driven between the block and the edges of the series of boards, which latter are thereby tightly clamped in position for nailmg.

It will be observed that the device is extremely simple and easily operated, and by its use the boards of a flooring may be tightly wedged together and subsequently held in position by the nails. After a series of boards have been clamped and nailed the clamp is advanced to the rear, reanchored, and a second series of flooring-boards placed in position, clamped, and nailed. In this manner the entire floor is laid.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. The herein-described floor-clamp, consisting of the inverted-U-shaped clip and means for securing the same to a sleeper, and a vertically and rearwardly disposed anchoring-dog reduced at its rear end to form a driving-point for entering the sleeper and above the same widened to form the drivingshoulder 8, substantiallyas specified. v

2. The hereindescribed floor-clamp, consisting of the inverted-U-shaped clip,the terminals of which are perforated at intervals, a pin to be inserted in the perforations, and a vertically and rearwardly disposed dog terminating in a point for entering the sleeper and provided above the same with a drivingshoulder, substantially as specified.

3. The herein-described clamp, consisting of the inverted-U-shaped clip perforated at intervals, an adjusting-pin mounted therein, and a vertically and rearwardly disposed dog having a front shoulder and terminating in a rear point, said dog being provided above the point with a gaging-shoulder and above and in rear of the point with a (:lriving-shoulder, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

J. w. MoQUAlD. 

